Most question her immigration status, with many assuming she’s an illegal immigrant from Mexico. In one on Facebook, she’s sailing through the air over the U.S.-Mexico border.

University of Cincinnati sociology professor Erynn Masi de Casanova explains that Dora is a kind of blank screen onto which people can project their thoughts and feelings about Latinos. She says they feel like they can say negative things because she’s only a cartoon character.

*Sigh*

I’m going to tread lightly here, because I have zero interest in starting a PoFlaWa in the comments. Shut up. It’s a cartoon. If I were the parent of a small child, I’d be much more concerned that this show is teaching children that it’s cool to pal around with monkeys with zero adult supervision. Remember that lady who got her face torn off by one last year? Those things are no joke. Hell, that’s how I got my pseudonym.

If life was like Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, and we could interact with cartoons to investigate their potential crimes, then fine. We could charge Pepe Lepew with sexual assault, Tom and Jerry for battery, and look into this brown-skinned toddler’s immigration status.* But we can’t. So to everyone involved in this debate, why don’t you relax, take a deep breath, and hold it until you pass out.

* If she was here illegally, then we could replace her on the show with a new, all-American figure . In fact, I’ve got the perfect replacement – we’d barely even have to change the title:

"Diora the Explorer" would be a huge hit, albeit with a different demographic.

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Good thing that flower is strategically placed. Pretty sure Swiper is sporting some wood over Diora.

By: Duke

05.28.2010 @ 11:27 AM

C’mon, Matt, monkeys who wear boots won’t rip your face off.

By: Duke

05.28.2010 @ 11:29 AM

Sorry, DG, wasn’t looking. Are you going to “punish” me some more?

By: Dave

05.28.2010 @ 11:39 AM

@DG – you need an initial in front of your nickname….

/”Danger is my middle name….”

By: Matt

05.28.2010 @ 11:41 AM

I’ve got something for Diora to explore!

/points to newly discovered cave

By: Danger Guerrero

05.28.2010 @ 11:52 AM

@ Dave

My name is Danger Danger Guerrero, so Danger is my middle name as well.

By: bluemidget_1

05.28.2010 @ 2:50 PM

Diora Explore-her….

By: TheChief

05.29.2010 @ 6:48 PM

PoFloWa? I missed it.

By: Treavon

06.01.2010 @ 3:01 PM

WOW YOU GUYS ARE SERIOUSLY GONNA OINT OUT THAT YES DORAS MEXICAN OR WHATEVER NOW WHAT IF THIS TOPIC WAS OVERHEARD BY A LITTLE KID THAT STARTS RACISM AND FIGHTS I HOPE WHO EVER STARTED THIS TOPIC FEELS ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES AND IF A LITTLE KID FINDS OUT THIS WAS BROUGHT UP I HOPE YOU KNOW YOU JUST ADDED TO THE RACISM/ PPL BEING PREJUDISE>SP AND KIDS SINGLEING OTHERS OUT FOR THE RACE/ COLOR/ OR THE WAY THAY LOOK..